Headlines from the Granite State
Pappas and Bentley wed
US Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire and his fiancé Vann Bentley officially tied the knot in February.
Reelected in 2022, Pappas became the first openly gay person to represent the Granite State in Congress in 2018 and serves as cochair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. He and Bentley announced their engagement on Dec. 19, 2021.
“Vann and I are excited to share that we’re married!” Pappas Tweeted on Feb. 20, 2023. “We feel so fortunate to have found each other and to be building our life together, and we’re grateful for the love and support of family and friends.”
Trans debate at Milford High
After a heated public meeting at Milford High School in early February, the school board voted to keep in place the school’s current policy allowing transgender students use the bathroom and locker room of their choice.
“I would be acting with malice to put a population in danger,” Milford School Board Chair Judi Zaino told WHDH News-7. “That is why I feel the way I do about the procedure that we currently have. I don’t want to change it.”
Reported WHDH, the vice chair of the school board has proposed changes, prompting dozens of supporters of the policy to rally for transgender rights prior to the next board meeting. At the meeting, the debate took about two hours with the board finally voting to maintain the status quo in support of trans students.
The board is now focusing on how to reach a compromise.
Dress code debate
An art teacher at the grades K–5 Christa McAuliffe School in Concord was placed on leave in late February after parent Michael Guglielmo complained of the teacher’s “girlie” attire, igniting “a firestorm in the local community,” according to the Boston Globe.
Hundreds of parents have expressed support for the teacher, Silas Allard, who identifies as LGBTQ, reports the Globe and was placed on leave after the parent complained that Allard was wearing women’s clothing.
Reports the Globe, “Guglielmo, who has a long history of arrests and violent behavior in New Hampshire, is calling for the suspension of the superintendent, the school’s principal, and the chairman of the school board—and he’s being backed by the “liberty minded freedom fighters” group to which he belongs.”
Superintendent Kathleen Murphy told the Globe the school board does not enforce a dress code because, she said, “That’s an area that can easily fall into discrimination: telling people what they can and can’t wear. That’s not been a policy that the Concord School Board has entertained.”
Guglielmo has since removed his daughter from the school. The debate around a dress code continued at school board meetings, with other parents maintaining their support for Allard, who has returned to the school, according to a report by Edge Media Network.
Dangerous legislation
In mid-March the state Senate advanced the so-called “Parental Bill of Rights” (SB272), to the state’s House of Representatives. The Senate passed the legislation on a party line vote of 14-10. It would require schools to notify parents if their children express concerns around their gender identity and expression.
“Our LGBTQ+ youth suffer disproportionately with anxiety, depression, and suicidality,” said Hershey Hirschkop, executive director of Seacoast Outright in a public statement.” This bill would exacerbate these problems by eliminating what might be the only place they feel safe and welcome: their school. At school they might find the one adult they can confide in, trust, and find counsel, whether it’s a coach, a guidance counselor, or teacher. Don’t take that away from them by passing this.”
Chris Erchull, attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), stated, “Parents already have opportunities to partner with schools on the education of their children, as they should, but this bill singles out transgender and gender nonconforming students for targeted surveillance at school. It would require, among other harmful provisions, that a school report back to parents if a student attends even one GSA meeting. This is an unnecessary and dangerous proposal that takes away important sources of safety and support from kids and creates an impossible-to-meet burden for teachers and school personnel who work hard every day to educate New Hampshire students.”
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